Automatic regulator for a timepiece



June 4, 1963 J. A. VAN HORN AUTOMATIC REGULATOR FOR A TIMEPIECE Filed May 19, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet l III lull \IIIIIIIIIIIIII Illlll lllllllllllll 22- I'Illlllllllll III.

INVENTOR Jul-m A. v) HORD BY W flak ATTORNEYS June 4, 1963 J. A. VAN HORN 3, ,91

AUTOMATIC REGULATOR FOR A TIMEPIECE Filed May 19, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.5

a m JOHN A.VAN HORN W? & ATTORNEYS 3,091,916 AUTOMATIC REGULATOR FOR A TIMEPIECE John A. Van Horn, Lancaster, Pa, assignor to Hamilton Watch Company, Lancaster, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed May 19, 1960, Ser. No. 30,182 22 Claims. (Cl. 58-855) This invention relates to a timepiece with an automatic regulator and more particularly relates to a timepiece so constructed as to automatically accomplish regulation thereof when the hands of the timepiece are set.

This application is a continuation-in-part of application of John A. Van Horn, Serial No. 840,373, filed September 16, 1959, now abandoned. Conventional timepieces, such as watches and clocks, are ordinarily provided with a regulator which is accessible either from the inside of the case or from the back of the timepiece so that the timepiece may be regulated to keep accurate time. In certain types of timepieces, however, such as automobile clocks, the mounting of the clock makes it diflicult to provide a readily accessible regulator which is not also subject to undesired tampering, such as by children. In solving this difficulty, it has been proposed to provide an automatic regulator which is actuated to cause regulation each time that the hands of the clock are set to correct an inaccurate time indication.

In a certain type of regulator of this nature which has been proposed heretofore it has been suggested that it is essential for proper automatic regulation that some means he provided to insure that the regulation set into the clock in a specified period of time is limited to a predetermined maximum. As one means of accomplishing this, it has been suggested to always vary the regulator by a predetermined fixed amount each time that the hands of the clock are set. One such example of this type of regulator is shown in Rabinow Patent No. 2,542,430. According to another suggestion of the same inventor (Rabinow Patent No. 2,858,029) it has been proposed to utilize limit means for limiting the magnitude of change of adjustment for a change in indication within a predetermined period of time to insure that at no time will the change in regulator adjustment exceed this predetermined amount. In conjunction with such limit means this same inventor provides a regulator lock-out so that it is impossible to re-regulate during the predetermined period of time.

As opposed to this prior concept of a limitation on the maximum regulation which may be injected into the clock in a predetermined period of time, the present invention utilizes a system which provides for regulation as a non-linear function of clock setting. That is to say, there is no limitation on the amount of regulationwhich can be injected into a clock at a given setting or in a predetermined period of time except, of course, by the inherent limit of movement of the rate regulator itself (not shown), but the regulation occurs at a non-uniform rate so that regulation is effected at a high rate only during the initial movement of the setting stem and then is effected at a much lower rate or at a zero rate until the setting stem has been twisted a certain predetermined amount. At this time, regulation again occurs at the high rate and the sequence may be indefinitely repeated.

As one advantageous result of this system it becomes possible for a jeweler or clock repairman to inject a large 3,091,916 Patented June 4, 1963 amount of regulation from the front of the clock without tampering with the regulating mechanism itself. As a second advantage it is possible to correct a regulation in the wrong direction which has been injected by inadvertently moving the clock hands in the wrong direction. Neither of these advantages is possible with the limit and lock-out systems previously mentioned.

According to the specific embodiment of the invention illustrated herein the regulating element is connected to the setting element through an intermittent low velocity drive mechanism, such as, a Geneva drive. Such an arrangement causes the regulating element to be driven at a predetermined rate during the period of engagement of the drive mechanism followed by no movement of the regulating element during the ensuing motion of the drive mechanism. The drive mechanism then re-engages to cause further movement of the regulating element at the predetermined rate and the sequence is indefinitely repeated to provide what essentially amounts to a low velocity drive between the setting element and the regulating element. This intermittent low velocity drive is reducible to a very simple mechanism of low cost and high reliability which provides effective automatic regulation with the advantages previously mentioned. In addition to this, such an automatic regulation system is readily adapted to existing clock movements since the mere addi tion of a series of inexpensive gear wheels is necessary.

It is accordingly a primary object of the present invention to. provide an improved automatic regulator for a timepiece.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved automatic regulator for a timepiece wherein there is no limitation on the amount of regulation which can be injected into the timepiece at any given setting of the hands but wherein the rate of movement of the regulator corresponding to a given increment of movement of the setting of the hands is non-uniform.

It is another object of the invention to provide an automatic regulator for a timepiece wherein the amount of regulation corresponding to a given increment of setting of the hands varies as the hands are set so as to provide a non-linear unlimited automatic adjustment to the rate regulator of the timepiece.

It is another object of the invention to provide an automatic regulator including an intermittent low velocity drive between the setting mechanism and regulating mechanism.

It is another object of the invention to provide an automatic regulator including an intermittent low velocity drive such as a Geneva drive between the setting mechanism and regulating mechanism.

It is still another object of the invention to provide an automatic regulator which has no limit on the amount of regulation which may be injected in one setting and no means to lock out the regulating mechanism for a predetermined period of time but which still provides practical insurance against the injection of excessive regulation.

These and further objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent upon reference to the following specification and claims and appended drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an automatic regulator constructed according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical elevation, partially in section, of the regulator of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of an automatic regulator constructed according to another embodiment of the invention wherein the amount of regulation for a predetermined rotation of the setting knob is increased;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of an automatic regulator constructed according to another embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of the crown wheel utilized in the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGURE 3; and

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of still a further em bodiment of the invention showing the use of a full Geneva drive.

FIGURES l and 2 illustrate a timepiece having an hour wheel 10 meshing with a minute pinion 14 and driving an hour hand 12. The minute pinion 14 is attached by shaft 16 to the conventional minute wheel 18 and this is adapted to be driven by setting pinion 20. Setting pinion 28 is attached to a setting staff 22 adapted to be rotated by a setting knob 24. The position of the setting staff 22 and setting pinion 20' is established by a bent leaf spring 26 having one arm 28 secured to a post 30 which is attached to the clock frame in any suitable manner. The setting staff 22 has a necked-down portion 32 received in a slot 34 at the end of arm 28 of leaf spring 26. The setting staff 22 may be raised upwardly against the biasing force of the leaf spring until the setting pinion 20 engages the minute wheel 18 so that the hands of the clock may be set in a conventional manner.

A double gear comprising an upper gear 36 and lower gear 38 is secured to a shaft 40 journalled in the clock frame in any suitable manner which will permit axial motion of the shaft. The position of the shaft is determined by leaf spring 26 which is shown to have a second arm 4-2 having an upwardly bent end portion 44 with a bifurcated end. The furcations 46 engage a necked down portion 48 of the shaft 40. The spring 26 determines the position of the two gears in such a manner that when the setting staff 22 is in its non-setting position of the unit the hour wheel 10 normally engages the teeth of the upper gear 36. The lower gear 38 is a full gear while the upper gear 36 has a portion 50 where the teeth are cut away. The upper gear 36 also carries a pin 52 protruding from its upper surface. Thus, when the setting staff 22 is raised upwardly to engage the setting pinion 20 with the minute wheel 18 the leaf spring arm 42 is also raised so that the end 44 of that arm raises gears 36 and 38 until the lower gear 38 is in mesh with the teeth of the hour wheel 10. In this position the rotation of the hour wheel 10 by the rotating action of the setting pinion 20 causes rotation of the gears 36 and 38 to cause a corresponding movement of the pin.

A regulating wheel 58 is pivotally attached to the clock frame at 60 and has a depending regulating arm 62 adapted to engage the hairspring of the timepiece in a conventional manner. The wheel 58 is provided with teeth 64 which mesh with the teeth of a pinion 66. Pinion 66 is attached to a gear 68 pivoted at 70 and located just above the pin 52 when the gears 36 and 38 are in the rest position as shown in FIGURES l and 2. When the gears 36 and 38 are raised by the action of the bent leaf spring 26 so that the hour wheel 10 drives gear 38, pin 52 is placed in a position to drive the gear 68 and this in turn drives the regulating wheel 58 through pinion 66.

The operation of the regulator is as follows:

In the position of the elements shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, hour wheel 18 and minute wheel 18 are rotated by the power source of the clock which may be a spring or an electric drive. The hour wheel drives neither gear 36 nor gear 38 inasmuch as the cut-away portion 58 of gear 36 is opposite the teeth of the hour wheel 10. When it is desired to set the timepiece to any position in its time indicating range, the setting knob 24 is withdrawn upwardly to l raise the setting pinion 20 to a position where it engages minute wheel 18 so that upon rotation of the setting knob 24 the minute and hour hands of the clock are rotated in a conventional manner through rotation of minute wheel 18, minute pinion 14 and hour wheel 10.

This same lifting motion of setting knob 24 and setting staff 22 elevates arm 42 of bent leaf spring 26 to cause gears 36 and 38 to be elevated to place the teeth of gear 38 in meshingengagement with the teeth of hour wheel 18 and to place the pin 52 in engagement with the teeth of gear 68. Thus, the same rotation of setting knob 24 which introduces setting motion into the hands of the clock also causes rotation of pin 52 with a concomitant rotation of gear 68 and regulator wheel 58 so as to introduce unlimited automatic regulation into the timepiece.

Regulation is introduced at a substantially uniform rate until the pin 52 clears the teeth of gear 68 and then ceases completely. As the setting knob 24 is further rotated no further regulation occurs until the pin 52 has been caused to make a complete revolution and again arrives at a position to engage the teeth of the gear 68. At such re-engagement the regulator wheel 58 is again moved at the same initial rate until the pin 52 again clears the teeth of gear 68. After the timepiece has been set and the setting knob 24 released the bent leaf spring 26 returns the elements to the positions shown in FIGURE 1 except for the fact that the pin 52 is now at a different position determined by the amount of rotation of the setting knob 24.

Gear 36 has also been rotated so that its teeth are now in engagement with the teeth of the hour wheel 10 and gear 36 is thereby caused to rotate as the clock runs until the cut-away portion 58 is again returned to the position shown in FIGURE 1. This returns the pin 52 to a position wherein it is again in readiness to engage the teeth of gear 68 to effect movement of regulator wheel 58 upon further setting of the timepiece.

By establishing the gear ratios such that a setting of siX or twelve hours correction into the hands of a timepiece is necessary to rotate the pin 52 one revolution it is virtually assured that over-regulation will not occur. That is to say normal setting of the hands of the clock would never approach such a large increment nor is it even probable that a child tampering with the hands of the clock would be so persistent as to continuously turn the setting knob in one direction an amount equal to six or twelve hours.

As a matter of fact there is now reason to believe that the question of tampering with a clock and thereby introducing unwanted regulation has been unduly magnified as a regulation problem. The possibility of unwanted setting in the same direction for an undue increment is limited and presents only one of several factors to be coped with by a truly satisfactory automatic regulator.

The possibility of intelligent introduction of large amounts of regulation is also a desirable feature in an automatic regulator, as has been stated, and such a provision is incorporated in the mechanism shown in FIGURES 1 andZ. Referring to FIGURE 3 there is shown a modification of the mechanism of FIGURES 1 and 2 which permits introduction of large amounts of regulation at a still higher rate. According to the embodiment of the invent-ion the upper gear 36 is provided with three pins 52, 53 and 55 instead of the single pin 52 shown in FIG- URE 1. Such an arrangement provides three times as much regulation as the arrangement of FIGURE 1 for the same setting stem rotation and obviously this amount may be varied by the use of two, four, five, etc. pins. The remaining elements in the structure in FIGURE 3 are similar to those shown in FIGURE 1 and are indicated by similar reference numerals.

Referring to FIGURES 4 and 5 there is shown another embodiment of the regulator of the invention wherein an hour hand 72 is driven by an hour wheel 74. A gear 76 and pinion 78 are again provided as in the preceding embodiment for driving a regulating wheel (not shown) similar to the regulating wheel 58 in the preceding embodiment.

In this embodiment of the invention the double gear of FIGURES 1 and 2 is replaced with a crown gear indicated generally at 80 which is mounted on a shaft 82 which corresponds to the shaft 40 in FIGURES 1 and 2. The crown gear 80 is provided with a first series of upstanding teeth 84 which are long enough to engage the hour wheel 74- when the crown gear 80 is in its nonsetting position. The crown gear 80 is also provided with a limited number of shorter teeth 86 which cover a sector corresponding to the cut-away portion 50 of the upper gear 36 in FIGURE 1. Crown gear 80 also carries a pin 88 as did the upper gear in the embodiment of FIG- URES 1 and 2.

It is believed that the operation of this embodiment of the invention will be clear from the prior description of the embodiment of FIGURES l and 2. In the position of the elements shown in FIGURE 4, the hour wheel does not drive the crown gear 80 inasmuch as its teeth are opposite the short teeth 86 thereof and do not engage these teeth. When it is desired to set the timepiece, the setting knob is withdrawn upwardly to raise the crown gear 80 in the manner described in connection with FIGURES 1 and 2 to a position where the short teeth 86 engage the teeth of the hour wheel 74. Rotation of the setting knob causes the hour wheel to rotate and this rotation is imparted to the gear 7 6 by means of the pin 88.

Regulation is introduced at a substantially uniform rate until the pin 88 clears the teeth of gear 76 and then ceases completely. As the setting knob is further rotated no regulation occurs until the pin 88 has been caused to make a complete revolution and again arrives at a position to engage the teeth of the gear 76. At such re-engagement the regulator wheel is moved at the same initial rate until the pin 88 again clears the teeth of gear 76. After the timepiece has been set and the setting knob released, the crown gear 80 drops to its non-setting position. Gear 86' has been rotated so that its long teeth 84 are now in engagement with the teeth of the hour wheel 74- and gear 89 is thereby caused to rotate as the timepiece runs until the short teeth '86 are returned to the position shown in FIGURE 4. This returns the pin 83 to a position wherein it is again in readiness to engage the teeth of gear 76 to effect movement of the regulator wheel upon further setting of the timepiece.

Referring to FIGURE 6 there is shown still another embodiment of the invention wherein a full Geneva mechanism is substituted for the pins of the prior embodiments. With such an arrangement the regulator is completely locked during regulation periods except when regulation actually occurs. According to this embodiment of the invention the gears 36 and 38 (not shown in FIGURE 6) have mounted thereabove a Geneva disc 92 having an arcuate cut-away portion 94 with a finger 96 extending radially therefrom. The gear 66 has a star wheel 98 mounted therebelow with arcuate sides 98 having a radius of curvature substantially equal to the radius of the Ge? neva disc 92. The intersections of the arcuate sides 98 form protrusions which are formed with radial slots 102 of a width slightly larger than those of the finger 96.

The Geneva disc 92 is approximately twice as thick as the star wheel 98 and in any event is sufiiciently thick that elevation of the double wheels does not break the engagement between the Geneva disc and the star wheel. The gear 66 meshes with a gear 104 which is mounted on a shaft 106. The gear 104 is slidable on the shaft 106 and is held in position by a collar on the shaft (not shown). Attached to the top of gear 104 is one-half of a clutch 108, the other half being mounted thereabove and attached to a gear 112 which is also slidable on shaft 106. Shaft 106 is slidably received in the watch frame at its upper end but is secured to an extension 114 of spring 26 at its lower end. Gear 66 is mounted on a shaft 116 and this is also secured to spring extension 114 for movement therewith. Gear 112 drives the regulator 58.

The operation of this embodiment of the invention is as follows:

In the neutral or non-setting position the finger 96 is in slot 162 as shown in FIGURE 6. As the setting stem is withdrawn outwardly to set the clock, Geneva disc 92, star wheel 98, gears 66 and 104 and clutch half 108 all move upwardly. Clutch half 108 engages clutch half to establish a drive connection to the regulator 58. As the hour wheel 10 is now rotated to set the clock the lower double gear (not shown in FIGURE 6) drives the Geneva disc 92 and finger 96 thereby drives star wheel 98 until the finger clears the slot 102. Further operation of the Setting stem and corresponding rotation of Geneva disc 92 causes no further rotation of the star wheel (and regulator) until the finger 96 has made a complete rotation and again engages the next slot 92 on the star wheel 98. The star wheel 98 is locked in position at all times except when it is moving under the influence of finger 96. After setting and regulation has thus been accomplished the respective gears are lowered on release of the setting stem and the upper double gear (36 in FIGURE 1) returns the Geneva disc and star wheel to the position shown in FIGURE 6 in readiness for further regulation. This does not affect the regulator 58 since release of the setting stern disengages clutch 108-110.

It will be obvious that various gearing ratios may be provided to regulate the amount of setting necessary to inject plural regulation increments into the clock. As a further alternative it is obviously possible to use plural fingers on the Geneva disc.

It will be appreciated that with the automatic regulators of this invention excessive regulation is prevented as a practical matter while permitting the intelligent injection into the timepiece of as much regulation as is desired. That is to say, there is no arbitrary limit on the amount of regulation which can be set into the clock at one setting of the clock hands, thereby permitting regulation corrections which are not possible with the limit and lockout type of automatic regulation.

At the same time, while unlimited regulation is permitted, the nature of the regulation is such that regulation occurs at a relatively high rate during only a limited predetermined rotation of the hands so that unless the hands are set through a time indication in excess of twelve hours (or any other predetermined interval) an excessive regulation of the rate regulator is not injected into the clock. If regulation is again attempted after an initial setting which exceeds this predetermined amount of hand setting, regulation does not occur.

Where a clock is to be set for a relatively small time error, such as for instance, on the order of ten or fifteen minutes, it is not at all uncommon for a person setting the clock to first rotate the hands of the clock in the wrong direction. With the limit and lock-out devices which have been previously proposed this would inject an erroneous regulation and it would be impossible to erase this regulation until after a predetermined period of time had elapsed. With the unit of the present invention, however, the injection of an erroneous regulation of a small amount in this manner can be immediately cor,- rected by moving the hands of the clock in the proper direction.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:

1. In a timepiece comprising: time measuring means; time indicating means actuated by said time measuring mean-s; time setting means having a setting and non setting position for setting said time indicating means to any position in its time indicating range; rate regulating means for regulating the rate of said time measuring means; automatic regulating means actuated by said time setting means for cans-ing an unlimited adjustment of said rate regulating means; said automatic regulating means including an intermittent low-velocity drive means for providing said unlimited adjustment of said rate regulating means at a non-linear rate when said time setting means is adjusted at a linear rate; said drive means being movable into regulate and non-regulate positions and being coupled between said time setting means and said rate regulating means in its regulate position when said time setting means is insaid time setting position, said drive means also being movable into a neutral position; said drive means being moveable to its regulate position and in drive relationship with said time measuring means when said time setting means is moved to its time setting position; said drive means immediately beginning to move toward its neutral position when said time setting means is moved to its non-setting position; and said drive relationship between said time measuring means and said drive means being automatically terminated when said drive means is returned to its neutral position.

2. In a timepiece as set out in claim 1 including: means driven by said time measuring means to cause said drive means to return to its neutral position.

3. In a timepiece as set out in claim 2 wherein said means to position said drive means includes a gear having a first group of teeth in mesh with said time measuring means of said timepiece when said time setting means is in non-setting position, said gear having a second group of shorter teeth which are out of mesh with said time measuring means when said drive means is positioned for immediate meshing engagement with said rate regulating means upon said time setting means being moved into its time setting position.

4. In a timepiece as set out in claim 2 wherein: said means driven by said time measuring means to cause said drive means to return to its neutral position includes a gear coupled to said time measuring means when said time setting means is in its non-setting position; said gear having a cutout portion adapted to disengage said gear from said time measuring means when said drive means is in said neutral position.

5. In a timepiece as set out in claim 4 wherein said drive means comprises a pin mounted on said gear.

6. In a timepiece as set out in claim 1 wherein said drive means comprises a plurality of pins mounted on said gear.

7. In a timepiece as set out in claim 1 wherein said drive means comprises a Geneva disc engaged with a mating star wheel, and clutch means arranged to drivingly connect said star wheel to said rate regulating means when said clock is set.

8. A timepiece as set out in claim 1 wherein said automatic regulating means includes a crown gear having a first group of teeth in mesh with the hour wheel of said time measuring means when said time setting means is in its non-setting position, said crown gear having a second group of teeth movable into engagement with said hour wheel when said time setting means is moved to its time setting position, and an intermittent low velocity drive means carried by said crown gear, said last named drive means meshing with said rate regulating means when said time setting means is in its time setting position.

9. In a timepiece as set out in claim 8 wherein said crown gear has a first group of long teeth about a larger portion of its periphery and a second group of shorter teeth about the remainder of its periphery, said shorter teeth being adapted to stop said crown gear from being driven by said hour wheel when said drive means is positioned for immediate meshing engagement with said rate regulating means upon said time setting means being moved to its time setting position.

10. In a timepiece as set out in claim 9 wherein said means for moving said shorter teeth of said crown gear to mesh with said hour wheel consists of a leaf spring actuated by said time setting means.

11. A timepiece as set out in claim 1 wherein said automatic regulating means includes a Geneva drive; said Geneva drive comprising a disk engageable with a mating star wheel, and clutch means arranged to drivingly connect said star wheel to said rate regulating means when said time indicating means is being moved through its time indicating range. 12. A timepiece as set out in claim 1 wherein said automatic regulating means includes a Geneva drive, said Geneva drive being adapted to lock said rate regulating means against rate regulation adjustment except when said automatic rate regulation is occurring.

13. In a timepiece as set out in claim 12 wherein said Geneva drive includes a disc having a periphery and at least one protruding radial finger, and a star wheel having arcuate sides and radial slots adapted to be drivingly engaged by said finger.

14. In a timepiece as set out in claim 13 wherein said locking of said rate regulating means is effected by mating engagement between said periphery of said disc and said arcuate sides provided on said star wheel.

15. A timepiece as set out in claim 1 wherein said automatic regulating means includes means for locking said rate regulating means in position at all times during periods of adjustment of said time setting means when said rate regulating means is not being moved.

16. A timepiece as set out in claim 15 wherein said automatic regulating means includes at Geneva drive mechanism driven by rotation of said time setting means and movable into driving engagement with said regulating means, said Geneva drive mechanism being out of engagement with said rate regulating means when said time setting means is in its non-setting position.

17. A timepiece as set out in claim 16 wherein said Geneva drive mechanism includes a Geneva disc, a star wheel drivable and lockable thereby, gear means driven by said star wheel, and clutch means for drivingly engaging said gear means with said rate regulating means during periods of adjustment of said time setting means.

18. A timepiece as set out in claim 17 wherein said Geneva disc, star wheel and gear means are positioned by a leaf spring which engages and is movable by said time setting means.

19. In a timepiece comprising: time measuring means having an hour wheel; time indicating means actuated by said time measuring means; reciprocable time setting means for setting said time setting indicating means to any position in its time indicating range; said time setting means having time setting and non-Setting positions, rate regulating means for regulating the rate of said time measuring means; automatic regulating means actuated by said reciprocable time setting means for causing unlimited adjustment of said rate regulating means; said automatic regulating means including first and second superposed gears; said first gear being in mesh with the hour wheel of said time measuring means when said time setting means is in its non-setting position; means for moving said second gear into mesh with said hour wheel when said time setting means'is moved to its time setting position; an intermittent low-velocity drive means associated with said first gear; and said drive means meshing with said rate regulating means when said time setting means is reciprocated into its time setting position.

20. In a timepiece as set out in claim 19 wherein said first gear includes a cut-out portion adapted to stop said gear when said drive means is positioned for immediate meshing engagement with said rate regulating means upon being received within said slotted portion for urging said said time setting means being moved into its time setting time setting means to its non-setting position. position.

21. In a timepiece as set out in claim 19 wherein said References Cited m the me of thls patent means for moving said second gear in mesh with said 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS hour Wheel consists of a leaf spring actuated by said time 2 5 ,029 Rabinow Oct, 28, 1 5 setting means.

22. In a timepiece as set out in claim 21 wherein said FOREIGN PATENTS time setting means has a slotted portion, said leaf spring 737,002 Great Britain Nov. 27, 1957 

1. IN A TIMEPIECE COMPRISING: TIME MEASURING MEANS; TIME INDICATING MEANS ACTUATED BY SAID TIME MEASURING MEANS; TIME SETTING MEANS HAVING A SETTING AND NON SETTING POSITION FOR SETTING SAID TIME INDICATING MEANS TO ANY POSITION IN ITS TIME INDICATING RANGE; RATE REGULATING MEANS FOR REGULATING THE RATE OF SAID TIME MEASURING MEANS; AUTOMATIC REGULATING MEANS ACTUATED BY SAID TIME SETTING MEANS FOR CAUSING AN UNLIMITED ADJUSTMENT OF SAID RATE REGULATING MEANS; SAID AUTOMATIC REGULATING MEANS INCLUDING AN INTERMITTENT LOW-VELOCITY DRIVE MEANS FOR PROVIDING SAID UNLIMITED ADJUSTMENT OF SAID RATE REGULATING MEANS AT A NON-LINEAR RATE WHEN SAID TIME SETTING MEANS IS ADJUSTED AT A LINEAR RATE; SAID DRIVE MEANS BEING MOVABLE INTO REGULATE AND NON-REGULATE POSITIONS AND BEING COUPLED BETWEEN SAID TIME SETTING MEANS AND SAID RATE REGUALTING MEANS IN ITS REGULATE POSITION WHEN SAID TIME SETTING MEANS IS IN SAID TIME SETTING POSITION, SAID DRIVE MEANS ALSO BEING MOVABLE INTO A NEUTRAL POSITION; SAID DRIVE MEANS BEING MOVABLE TO ITS REGULATE POSITION AND IN DRIVE RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID TIME MEASURING MEANS WHEN SAID TIME SETTING MEANS IS MOVED TO ITS TIME SETTING POSITON; AND DRIVE MEANS IMMEDIATELY BEGINNING TO MOVE TOWARD ITS NEUTRAL POSITION WHEN SAID TIME SETTING MEANS IS MOVED TO ITS NON-SETTING POSITION; AND SAID DRIVE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SAID TIME MEASURING MEANS AND SAID DRIVE MEANS BEING AUTOMATICALLY TERMINATED WHEN SAID DRIVE MEANS IS RETURNED TO ITS NEUTRAL POSITION. 